Journal of Religion & Film
Volume 7 Issue 1 April 2003 Article 14
April 2003
Bend it Like Beckham
Béatrice Schatzmann-von Aesch [email protected]
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Recommended Citation Schatzmann-von Aesch, Béatrice (2003) "Bend it Like Beckham," Journal of Religion & Film: Vol. 7 : Iss. 1 , Article 14. Available at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/jrf/vol7/iss1/14
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Abstract This is a review of Bend it Like Beckham (2002).
This film er view is available in Journal of Religion & Film: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/jrf/vol7/iss1/14 Schatzmann-von Aesch: Bend it Like Beckham
Bend It Like Beckham, directed by Gurinder Chadha, tells the story of
eighteen-year-old British-Asian Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra). She is a talented
soccer player, and her idol is David Beckham, the star of Manchester United. One
day, Jules (Keira Knightley), captain of the local women's team, comes across Jess
who is playing football in the park. She introduces Jess to the club's young and
charismatic coach Joe (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). Seeing her potential, he wants her
to go to Santa Clara, California to become a professional football player. However,
her traditionalist Punjabi Sikh parents have other, more conventional plans for her
future.
The freshness of the film resides in the performance of the young actors,
and the comedy draws on social opposites seen through the eyes of teenagers.
Hence, Chadha addresses a young, broad, multi-cultural audience, familiar with and
appreciative of MTV video aesthetics, pop music, slang and camp language.
Although a wide range of social topics are touched upon, the discourse primarily
revolves around generation, gender, and race. Religion is understood as a factor of
political ethnic identity, myths are deployed in context with gender, and theological
concerns are part of the film's message.
Christian as well as Hindu theology expects youngsters to respect their
elders and, consequently, the conventions, traditions, and moral assumptions they
stand for. Jess breaks many rules in the process of carving out her own life. She lies
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to her parents, imposes on their confidence, and flouts their moral codes. Although
the film encourages the audience to “to keep on pushing,” Jess decides to respect
her parents' feelings, and calls her football projects off. With her act, she allows her
father to show his wisdom and, ultimately, to set her free. So, the credo of the film
is that a fruitful relationship between different generations presupposes the capacity
of self-sacrifice, forgiveness and love.
The film displays the hero myth, which excludes the possibility of a viable
heroine, to depict gender relations. Although Jess excels in a masculine territory,
she is chaste, virginal, submissive, and spiritually dependent on their male patrons.
Like her mother, who prays to the Hindu Guru above the piano, Jess talks to the
portrait of Beckham. In due time, Beckham is replaced by Joe, who not only looks
as ascetic, vulnerable and benevolent as the former, but also shows her the way to
personal and professional fulfilment.
Religion is used in the film to emphasize ethnic exclusion, and gives
evidence of the fact that racial divisions are still existent in Britain, despite the
much-touted cultural hybridity of British society. Hence Mrs Bhamra warns Jess
about being associated with Joe by pointing out the story of someone else who was
expelled from the Hindu community because she had a relationship with a “gora.”
And when Jess's father tells his story of being “chased off like a dog” from the
cricket grounds twenty years ago, and Jess replies that things have changed and
https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/jrf/vol7/iss1/14 2 Schatzmann-von Aesch: Bend it Like Beckham
Hussein Nasser is now the chairman of the national team, her comment is dismissed
by her mother arguing that Hussein does not count since he is a Muslim.
Bend It Like Beckham has been a huge success in Britain, and finds its place
within the current enthusiasm about Asian filmmaking in Britain. The film is also
of interest for non-British audiences because it shows the hybridity of cultural life
in Britain. Soccer fans may be mesmerised by spectacular bends and fine
documentary inserts of football matches. Young people may enjoy the music, the
action and the degree of identification. Adults are offered some insight into youth
culture. And teachers may find the film useful as an introduction to a variety of
social, political and cultural issues.
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